The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-20
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks With the Men Who
Guide the PloW.
OF GENERAL INTEREST TO FARMERS.
Balancing Accounts.

The wears work is about fnished-how do
tho expense and profit accounts stand? How
many farmers can answer that question? Has
any account been kept? or has the farmer gone
on blindly, not knowing whether he was max
ing any money or not? We fear this has been
the case with most farmers. They keep no
hooks and have very vague ideas of how much
money has gone out, and sometimes not very
definite one of how much has come in. Many
realize, perhaps, at the end of the year, that
they have no money; but they do not know
how much has been spent on the farm, ana
how much for family purposes. They may
have empty pockets, and yet have made money
for family expenses may have consumed 1t all
Now this is very unsatisfactory. IL one IS not
making any money farming, he ought either
TO change his methods or quit the business
Sometimes farmer makes money
Mt one point in his farming operations
and loses IL at another. Sometimes he makes
with one crop and loses with another Some
times he clears money on one field ana loses IL
on another. But how is he to know this with
out keeping accounts? There is nothing that
would open the eyes of farmer
more than keeping aocounts-nothng
that would lead him more surely
into the right methods. Others may
agree with him that he is losing money, but he
Is not convinced lie loves his farm; 1t is his
own; he has faith in his land and faith iii
himself too. Everything predisposes him
against being convinced. But let him keep
his own figures and the case is entirely changed.
Ii is self against SELF and his eyes are much
more easily opened. Other peoples figures
lie, but his do not. Men viii believe IN their
own things Each ones watch keeps the true
time Each ones gun shoots The best. The
only course, therefore, is TO get self against
self and this in the farmers case Is attained
by getting him to keep accounts--to have his
own figures offset each other In this way he
may be convinoed and conviction once Sc
cured there will he no farther difficulty. III
farmer is perfectly satisfied that he is losing
on any operation, he will quit it. The
trouble is, he is rarelyconvinced. He may
tell Others there is no money in cotton, but
deep down in his heart he believes there is.
He may admit to himself that he made nomoney
on II somo particular year, but the fault was
not in the cotton crop. twas too wet or cold
spring, too dry or too wet a summer, too wet
or too cold fall, frost came too early. There
is always something that shields his pet from
censttre.
II . farmer has kept no books it is stll pos
sible Tor him 10 get at the facts Sometimes it
is The merchants keeps books for some farm
ers they buy everything nearly on credit, and
iteiAized accounts OF their merchants viii
bring the years transactions pretty well before
them Let them get that and study it. On
the ono side are the advances and purchases,
on the other the credits by cotton, etc. 1t viii
be pretty fair representation of
the years work on the farm as
whole, II may not bring out, however,
the comparative results from different fields.
This is one Of the most important items. On
Al "a
field go 80 pay the losses ON poor one. Rich
bottom lands produce corn and fodder TO feed
mules to cultivate poor nplands that do not
pay the cost of cultivation. one f1cld Of cot
ton may make from half to three-quarters OF
n bale TO the acre; another from fourth to
third Of bale TO the acre. Had he cultivated
the first only, the farmer would have made
some clear money, but whom he cultivated the
second also he lost as much as he made OH the
first On one field the guano he applied paid
him handsome profit on another it did
more harm than good. But as the
cotton from both is pat into q
common heap, the farmer does not realize this
Don't you think that many a field would be
thrown out to rest OF sown in grain, IL tho
owner had kept strict account with it, and
found at the end of the year that he had spent
more on 10 than the crop returned him? The
trouble Is, that in the absence of accounts the
farmer does not realize this he is reluctant to
belieye his land is SO poor, he thinks better of
it; he gives it the benefit OF the doubt, he will
not bring in verdict of guilty; mistrial is
Announced, and the case drags its slow length
along for years. We do not wish to hurt any
ones feelings or deery the value of his pro
perty, but We are forced to express our belief
That about one-half the land In the older cotton
states does not more than pay the expense of
cultivation. W. L. j.
a. A. b., Packets Station, Ga: Is the a3hes
from stone coal ofHny value as fertilizer, and
what is the analysis Of salneg
Contains traces of potash and other mineral
Ingredients. Has about the Same mammal
value ms loan or sand with no vegetable mat
ter in it. Ii is valuable for loosing up stiff
clay, the action being mechanical not chem
zeal
A. X, W. Goloid, Ga; l. saw n receipt IN your
department TO pickle beef, hut have lost it, have
large, fat bun would like 10 pickle Please give
the receipt again. ., Also, what is eoci to give
young dog for worms 8, What will prevent hog
cholera
LIST. Receipts for pickle vary slightly Here
t. good one. To every 100 pounds Of meat,
take eight pounds of salt, two quarts OF mo
lasseS, and quarter pound each of cooking
soda and saltpeire add water enough to cover
meat bring nearly to a boil, skim OFF all scum,
and when cold and meat is cold. pour on the
latter, and sec that it is entirely covered with
the pickle.
ID. Mix with feed four grains each OF con-
peras and gentian root powdered, and one
sixteenth Of grain OF arsenic, ana give above
quantity twice week.
n. IL. H., chipey, TIA, December 10 1857. Please
give me your best formula for Irish potatoes; also
kind of soil best adapted for same Mine is sandy
soil not naturally rich, How many bushels TO The
acre is The proper amount @ be plantcd2 We are
Arranging 20 plant for nogthern markets ana wish
all the information you esn give al the inioylna,
ton yea can as 20 time 60 plant how iar between
rows and how far apar, in drills
A sandy soil, il filed with humus is best for
the Irish potato. II the soil is destitute of
vegetable matter, make q compost into which
1t enters largely. One in which nitrogen pot
ash and phosphoric acid are present also in
full quantity is desirable; eo0 pounds Of acid
phosphate, 200 pounds OF kaiuit and 500
pounds Of cotton seed meal, mixed with COW
manure, lot Scgapmgs rich mould, thirty
wagon loads IN all, will manure one acre. IL
4I H. AN